Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wolsey, South Dakota 57384
Friday, October 1, 1982 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD BEEN ISSUED AN INSTRUMENT RATING ON 8/6/82 AND HAD LOGGED 5.6 HRS SINCE THAT TIME. THE PILOT'S INSTRUCTOR BELIEVED THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS FIRST LOW APPROACH IN ACTUAL INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS SINCE HE COMPLETED HIS CHECK FLIGHT. A WITNESS STATED THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT APPEARED NERVOUS ABOUT HIS DEPARTURE AND IT APPEARED THAT HE NEEDED TO GET SOMEWHERE DESPITE THE WEATHER. AFTER RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING, HE DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH KNOWN RAIN, FOG AND LOW CEILINGS AT THE DESTINATION. DURING ARRIVAL THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 12. AT ABOUT THE POSITION THAT HE WOULD BE INTERCEPTING A VOR ARC TO TRANSITION TO THE ILS, RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. LATER THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT WOULD HAVE INTERCEPTED THE ARC IN A LEFT TURN. AT THAT POINT, IT HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/1/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WOLSEY
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57384
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1455
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID HON
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 49
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1067
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6553C
NTSB Number DEN83FA001
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7890382
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 271
Airframe Hours 1176
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETER O. GEYERMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 402 N. MAPLE
Aircraft Owner City WATERTOWN
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETER O. GEYERMAN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 402 N. MAPLE
Operator City WATERTOWN
Operator State SD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 57201
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RAP
Departure City RAPID CITY
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1248
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HON
Destination City HURON
Destination State SD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 7200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --